


The Market

by megloveslokitooomuch



Series: Strangefrost Oneshots [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Love at first sight-ish, M/M, On the Run
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24731437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megloveslokitooomuch/pseuds/megloveslokitooomuch
Summary: Loki was on the run; hiding from his brother, The Avengers and Thanos. He hadn't thought through the aftermath of his escape from the Statesman. He wasn't safe. Was he now a damsel in distress? And outlaw?Thank goodness a knight in shining armour (and a red levitating cloak) was headed his way.
Relationships: Loki/Stephen Strange
Series: Strangefrost Oneshots [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784323
Comments: 4
Kudos: 80





	1. Chapter 1

Loki wasn't sure why he decided to come to this market today. 

It was a crisp, cold morning and his breath came out in billows of white mist. The seam of his shirt scratched him slightly underneath his long, thick winter coat. He had his hair tied into a bun near the top of his head. With the slight breeze and the thin locks of dark hair that got buffeted by the softest wind, he didn't want it all to get tangled. 

His bright eyes darted around at every person roaming the market square as his boots crunched on the frosty ground. Loki pulled his coat tighter around him. He wasn't cold at all. Being a Frost Giant made him practically immune to it, but the suffocating closeness of the soft material made him feel safe. 

Suspicion and paranoia had become significant aspects of his personality as of late, he'd come to realise. He didn't feel safe anywhere but deep within himself. Lonely, you'd say. Not a great way to live, but it was a good way not to die. Thanos, the Avengers and his own brother were searching for him. He'd narrowly escaped the wrath of Thanos in the Statesman, amongst his dying people, but _after_ his escapade... Well, he hadn't quite thought it was going to work at the time, so the aftermath had not entered his mind. 

Hiding out on Earth was the easiest thing he could do. Trying to act as though he were a normal mortal, such as the ones hurrying by him at this very minute in the cold winter months of the year in New York. It was the last place anyone expected him to be, but it was a risk for him nonetheless. 

The market he was at had been pitched up in a park in Greenwich Village. It came around every week, selling various second-hand clothing, unfamiliar smelling foods amidst some delicious ones, and a few memoirs for tourists. Loki had no money, and therefore, no real reason to be here, and yet he truly felt as though he had to be.

It was itching in his bones. His black-painted fingernails quivered with his hands in anticipation of the unprecedented events he could sense coming. Strange things were happening to him. His heart started to beat faster. His stomach was twisting into fluttering knots. He was frowning, and blinking furiously, gazing around at what seemed to be an incredibly peaceful and nonthreatening crowd of people. 

But then he saw him.

The sparkling light amidst the dark forest of winter coats. Loki's breath hitched in fear and he froze for a moment. He watched the man, who stood out with his deep red cloak and sharp eyes. He stood at a stall that sold beautiful dream-catchers. His fingers were trailing lightly over an emerald green one when his hand stilled with his gaze. 

A shoulder, followed by a mumbled apology, bumped Loki out of his trance and he inhaled. Suddenly, the busy market seemed silent, for only his breaths, and those of the man by the dream-catcher reached Loki's ears. Blue met blue, but the blues were different. One was fearful; the other curious.

Loki turned and began to stumble away quickly, his gaze searching for a faster route to a place out of sight for him to teleport away. He had a slim chance to get away, slim but possible, and he wouldn't risk teleporting in broad daylight. His mind clashed inside him. Why had he been brought here? Could he trust the man in red? What was the intense emotion he had felt when their eyes had locked? 

Footsteps followed him, and Loki became more frantic. What did this mean?

A hand caught his arm and he whipped around to stare straight into the eyes of Doctor Stephen Strange. The emotion washed over him again. 

"I'm not going to hurt you," Strange whispered. His face was awfully close.

"Why?" Loki croaked. "I deserve it."

"No, you don't."

He thought for a moment. Considered his options. He could walk away, find a new hiding place and hope that Strange wouldn't utter a word, which was doubtful. Or, he could go with the sorcerer, who could help him, keep him safe.

_Safe._

"Where will you take me?" Loki whispered, unable to tear his eyes away from Strange, though the intense feeling that was skyrocketing the beating of his heart threatened to consume him the longer his eyes were attached to the other pair of bright blues.

"Somewhere they won't find you." He adjusted his grip on Loki, his hands sliding underneath both of Loki's elbows, holding him up, as it seemed his legs could no longer do so.

Loki gave him a soft nod, and Strange pulled him behind a stall. They dropped down through a circle of sparkling orange magic onto the floor of a large room with a staircase. 

"I've been here before," Loki said, tripping back to his own feet as he looked away from Strange. 

"The Sanctum Sanctorum in New York."

"Your humble abode?"

"Not so humble."

Loki finally let go of Strange and once again tightened his coat around himself.

"Are you alone?"

"I'm always alone."

Loki turned to him. "So am I."

Loki moved over to the window and gazed out of it. He tensed, as after a few moments, he heard the floorboards creak behind him and a hand settle on his shoulder. 

"I heard what you did."

"Whose side of the story did you hear?"

"Yours."

Loki snapped his gaze to look at him. "How?"

"Don't kill me," Strange warned, his voice low.

"Don't make me," Loki growled, narrowing his eyes.

Strange took a breath and cocked his head at Loki. "I cast my gaze into your mind at the market."

Without skipping a beat, Loki asked. "And what did you see?"

Surprised, Strange answered, "That you were just trying to escape. From Thanos. You didn't mean to put anybody else in danger."

"This isn't the first time someone has delved into my thoughts, Strange. I know you saw more."

"He tortured you, Loki," Strange whispered, and Loki stared, bewildered at the concerned crease in Strange's brow. "He hurt you horribly and you had every right to want to get out of there, no matter the cost."

Loki looked away. "I'm a coward." He squeezed his coat around him, crossing his arms.

"Loki," Strange said softly. "Give me your coat."

"No."

"Give me your coat."

"No!"

"Do you trust me?"

Loki closed his eyes, ignoring the trembling of his eyelids and the tears he was trying so desperately to repress. The overwhelming amount of emotion attacking his body in Strange's presence was becoming too much. He was starting to feel trapped.

In a whisper, Strange offered, "Let me help you."

Slowly, Loki unbuttoned the coat. He slipped his arms out of the sleeves. Strange gently removed it from his shoulders and the trap had been lifted. Loki wrung his wrists anxiously. His eyes continued their refuge behind his eyelids. A sigh reached his ears and arms wrapped around his body, pulling him tightly into a chest he recognised but had never felt the true warmth of. 

Loki grasped the canvas fabric of Strange's robes, pressing himself closer to the heat of his body. He may be immune to the cold, but he'd never quite felt warm; comfortable. Not like now. His heart relaxed, its beat beginning to synchronise with the one right next to it. 

Subtly, Loki snuck his magic into Strange's mind. It twisted around the words he was thinking; reading and processing them. 

_He needs someone._

_I want to help him._

_I don't know if he'll let me._

Loki tilted his face up to the sorcerer. He still clung onto him. Strange's arms were tightly wound around the god's shoulders. Strange peered at him with a slight cock of the brow.

"I'll let you," Loki whispered, hesitantly sliding his hands upwards to Strange's neck. 

"But?" Strange asked, rubbing small, soothing circles on Loki's upper back.

"I don't understand why you want to."

"I don't quite understand it either," he murmured. "It's just this instinct. This sixth sense that's telling me that no-one quite gets you like I could. I understand your pain, I suppose. I've lived through it. Maybe I'm here to help you get through yours."

"I want you," Loki told him, frowning at the unfamiliar words. "Something, possibly also just... instinct, but something made me come to the market this morning. And I think it was you."

"I won't tell anybody you're here. Not a soul."

"We won't be alone anymore." For the first time in weeks, Loki smiled. "I hate being alone."

Strange pulled him close and Loki nuzzled his head in the crook of his neck. He didn't know why this had happened, but he was elated. Someone was here for him. Finally, after so long, since his mother had died, someone was here for him.

"Keep me safe, Stephen," Loki muttered onto his skin.

"Of course," Stephen assured him. "No-one will get through me to you." He closed his eyes and rested his chin on Loki's forehead. 

"No-one."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU where the Avengers defeated Thanos the first time and no-one dies (I'm optimistic, I know).

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"I know, Loki. But what were you planning on doing? You can't stay cooped up here. They've defeated Thanos. The Avengers' next target is you. Don't you want to be a step ahead of them?"

"Stephen, they're not going to even _hesitate_ -"

"You don't know that!"

"Oh and you do?"

"Let me talk to them. I'll tell them everything you told me."

"I didn't tell you anything, remember. You invaded my thoughts."

"Oh, stop being salty. You're here and safe because of it."

Loki sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Stephen told him, puffing his cheeks out and dragging his hands over his face. "You're getting cabin fever."

Loki tucked his knees into his chest and put his face in his hands. He fidgeted the soft scarlet blanket draped over him and Stephen. He hadn't been outside in weeks, trying to stay under the radar. He and Stephen had forged a bizarre relationship; unnamed and quiet... Neither ever left alone. Loki was especially grateful for that. He found immense comfort in the other sorcerer and for the first time in his life, Loki felt that he belonged somewhere. Not to a place or a family, or even a state of being, but to a person. 

Stephen had kept his promise and thankfully, the mighty team of broken heroes hadn't thought of coming to the Sanctum. Loki frowned.

"Why haven't they thought of coming here?" He asked quietly, peeking at Stephen next to him on the couch.

"I told them I hadn't seen you."

Loki scoffed. "They trust you?"

"What, you don't?"

Lifting his head, looking at Stephen right-on, Loki's eyes held trickles of bewilderment and fire. He had a little temper, that one.

"You truly think that I, the one currently sitting on your couch and curling up in your arms every night, do not trust you?"

Stephen flushed and crossed his arms. They hadn't discussed it before. Their sleeping arrangement. A tangle of limbs in Stephen's bed. Not once had their intimacies been voiced - not that they had to, of course. Sorcerers have their tricks. To say that neither of their thoughts were private would be an understatement.

"Tea?" Stephen asked, clearing his throat, pushing down the temptation to read Loki's mind like a balloon through water. 

"Coffee would be divine." Loki gave him a mischievous grin, dripping with smugness. 

Not bothering to react to the behaviour he had so quickly adapted to, Stephen stood, dropped the blanket over his shoulders and with a little magic, flicked it over Loki's head.

"Arse!" Loki's muffled voice scowled as he scrambled up from the couch.

With a chuckle, Stephen whistled a chirpy tune on his way to the kitchen. When he'd arrived there, however, Loki appeared. Leaning on spread fingers atop the counter and a fluffy-slippered foot crossed over the other on the cold, tile floor, he placed his hand delicately on his hip.

Stephen smirked. Without the couch blanket smothering him, Loki just had Stephen's sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt on. Both black. He'd refused to wear any other colour. He stepped towards the god, blinking his eyes every so often to break their eye-contact as his feet drew nearer. Loki tilted his head up, looking down his nose at Stephen's advances. He bit his lip.

Leaving his thoughts open now, free and easy-to-read, Stephen cocked an eyebrow. _The closer I get, the more his mask dissolves. You don't need to hide from me, Loki._

Two words flashed from Loki's mind, scorching Stephen's eyelids. _I'm scared._

"Why?" Stephen murmured aloud. They now stood nose-to-nose. Stephen could hear the fast thumping of Loki's heart. 

"I've been hurt, Stephen," Loki whispered. Images of endless blows. Slashing. Whipping. Shards of glass and sparks of burnt metal. It all shot through Stephen, knocking the wind out of him. He caught Loki's hand, feeling his heart spring into his throat. "I don't want to feel pain ever again. Not like that."

Stephen breathed out, his warm breath fanning over the cool skin on Loki's cheek and jaw. "You think I'll let that happen?"

"No."

"Let me talk to them. To Thor. You saved yourself, they can't fault you for not giving your life to the titan who'd already stolen your spirit, Loki. No matter who you'd save."

"Self-sacrifice isn't in my nature."

Stephen chuckled. "Unless you're faking it."

"I'm past my faking-my-own-death days, Stephen, come now."

Loki smiled softly, slowly taking in the curves and edges of the sorcerer's face. The slim brush of hair across his jaw and chin. The bright splash of blue in his eyes. The gentle kick of mischief in his smile. Oh, that, Loki recognised the moment it appeared on his lips.

And suddenly, as though snatched by the navel, Loki pressed himself close to Stephen. He grasped his shoulder as his eyes widened. Stephen's lips parted and his eyebrows furrowed and for a second Loki was terrified he would be pushed away. But Stephen's hands settled on Loki's hips and the electrifying jolt that paralysed him when their skin touched made every ounce of tension in his body dissipate.

Their heads tipped in opposite side-ways and eyes were drawn to lips. Lips drew closer. Grasps grew tighter. But then -

"Mr Strange, sir -"

Petrified beyond measure, Stephen and Loki jumped in fright and turned. 

"Peter?" Stephen spluttered, his grasp tightly holding Loki against his back. 

"Mr Strange, is that Loki?" Peter asked incredulously, his Spider-Man suit clinging to his small frame and his mask in his hand. 

"Peter, why are you here?"

"Mr Stark sent me to tell you that you need to come to the Compound as soon as possible."

"What, you're his messenger boy now?"

"Hey! It's an important message," Peter said, pouting. 

Stephen turned to Loki and squeezed the hand he still held. "This is our chance. It's up to you."

Loki bit his lip, glanced at Peter, who tried to smile at him. He let out a long breath as he locked eyes with Stephen. With Stephen at his mercy and Peter waiting patiently for _something_ to happen, an idea entered Loki's mind. His mischievous grin peeped on his face and it was a moment too late that Stephen heard the words in Loki's thoughts.

_A kiss? Well, why not? Let's give Spiderling a show._

As Stephen's eyes widened and a small mutter of protest escaped him, Loki bruised Stephen's lips with his own. Expertly, Loki dipped the Sorcerer Supreme and slid one hand up to support his neck while the other fluttered down to his hip. Ignoring the vigorous beating of his heart, Loki straightened up and pulled his lips away with a smooch and a heady smile. Stephen had pleasant shock written all over his face and couldn't help but catch Loki's infectious grin. 

"We can tell them," Loki whispered in his ear, slipping his icy fingers underneath the back of Stephen's shirt, out of Peter's sight. "On the condition that you'll take me to dinner afterwards."

Stephen smirked, glancing at Loki from the corner of his eye. He looked back at Peter Parker a few feet away from them.

"Mr Strange," Peter exclaimed, his eyes and mouth wide with incredulous astonishment. "I did not know you liked guys, that's so cool!"

Huffing out a breathless lungful of air, Stephen shook his head. "Thank you, Peter."

"I figured you were, Loki," Peter explained, eliciting a shrug of agreement from Loki before he smiling excitedly. "Oh, Mr Strange, Mr Stark was really pushy about you being at the Compound like, right away."

Loki cocked a skeptical eyebrow at Stephen. _Mr Strange not Dr Strange?_

Stephen closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. _Oh boy, I've tried._

Loki snorted. "Lead the way, Spider-boy."

Peter frowned. "I wanna correct you but you're like, super powerful, so I'm gonna..." He gulped. "Not."

A few minutes later, Stephen and Peter walked through the doors of the conference room at the Avengers Compound to the tense sight of the team gathered around the table. A collection of sitting, standing and leaning figures. They'd opted to leave Loki at the Sanctum until it was safe for Stephen to portal him in. 

"Finally!" Tony sighed, throwing his hands in the air. "It's been weeks, Strange! You had better have something good for us."

"We have a couple leads on where Loki could be," Steve began, gesturing to the virtual map hovering above the table. "But we figured a spell of yours could help us figure out whether he's there or not without having to go there."

"Do you _know_ how magic works, Captain?" Thor asked, an irritated, tired look on his face.

"How the hell is he supposed to know, huh?" Quill countered, tutting at Thor. "He's Captain America, not a freaking wizard."

Stephen exchanged a look with Peter, who shrugged with a closed-lip smile. It was a miracle he hadn't uttered a word in the whole ten seconds they'd been in the room.

Putting his hand up for silence, Stephen stepped towards the table and looked around at everyone: Thor and the Guardians; Steve, Bucky, Natasha and Sam; Clint, Scott, Wanda and Vision; Bruce, T'Challa and Shuri; and Tony at the head of the table. They all stared right back at him. 

"I'm gonna save you all the trouble and arguing and tell you this." He took a breath. Peter gave him a thumbs up. He took a quick scan of thoughts around the room - save for Thor's, whose were heavily guarded from a childhood with Loki, as the God of Mischief had told him. None of them were expecting what he was about to say. 

"I know where Loki is."


	3. Chapter 3

_Previously..._

_"I know where Loki is."_

Outbursts and gasps erupted and a million different voices spoke at once, like an orchestra of out-of-tune instruments that had fallen into each of their own panicked, chaotic melodies.

"Where is he, wizard?" Thor boomed, his voice louder than the rest, who fell quiet.

"I will tell you on one condition," Stephen said quietly, picking up various phrases from each Avenger's cognition to make sure none had any vicious intent upon Loki. All this mind-reading was taking a lot of his energy and he was tiring fast. "You may not hurt him in any way."

"Why is his well-being your concern, Strange?" Steve asked, eyebrows furrowed in suspicion.

Stephen bit his lip. "He's been under my... care for the last few weeks. We're friends."

A ripple of shock swept through the group. Peter sniggered and Stephen snapped his head around to glare at him.

Tony dragged his hands over his face. "Okay, okay, okay! We're not gonna attack your precious God of Mischief, just tell us where he is. We need to speak with him."

Straightening up, Stephen unhooked his sling ring and drew a portal to the Sanctum behind him. After a few impatient moments, with all eyes glued to the portal, Loki stepped out into the room and immediately clung onto Stephen's arm, his eyes wide yet proud. He'd changed into the outfit Stephen had found him in. The long, thick coat tucked around him as tight as a pea in a pod.

"Loki," Thor breathed, crossing his arms in anguish, earning a sympathetic smile from Loki.

"Brother," he greeted, cautiously glancing around at the team, all of whom had their jaws on the floor. Except for Shuri, who seemed to be looking at him rather thoughtfully.

"You know," Shuri said from across the room. "I thought you'd be much more intimidating in person since you're, you know, a god and all that."

Insulted, Loki stepped away from Stephen and transformed himself to his full glory - his horned helmet, battle armour and all. His gold glinted in the fluorescent bulbs of the overhead lights. Somehow, Shuri still looked a little unimpressed. 

"This is the god-man's brother?" Drax muttered to Quill, who shrugged, irritated. "His hair looks as though it could be spun into black gold. And -"

"Yeah, okay, Asgardians are a little good-looking," Quill sniffed, pouting slightly. "Big deal."

Thor gave them a strange look. Fortunately for them, Loki hadn't been listening. 

"We could set you up with a much better vibranium upgrade back in Wakanda, if you'd like." She cocked an eyebrow. Now, among every person in the room, even Stephen had a shocked expression.

"That - that would be fantastic," Loki said, phasing back to his coated attire. "I must say, I was expecting a much more violent welcome."

"Yeah, well," Tony said, looking sort-of defeated. "Your boyfriend over here told us we couldn't hurt you, so vibranium upgrades are all you're gonna be served today, Reindeer Games."

Loki pouted in thought, tapping his chin with his index finger. "You know, Stephen, 'boyfriend' is too much of a colloquial name for me." He slipped his hand into the crook of the sorcerer's elbow. "I'd prefer something better, like your 'partner' or your 'betrothed'. Ooh! How about 'escort'?"

Stephen had frozen. Staring into space he was just still. His only movement was the closing of his eyes, emitting a large amount of frustration and embarrassment at Loki who was grinning like a madman.

"I saw that coming," Natasha said, swiveling in a circle on her chair while chewing gum.

Steve shurgged his shoulders in agreement, gaining an incredulous shake of the head from Bucky. Loki sensed there was some irony over there. He sent Bucky a wink. The metal-armed man narrowed his eyes, glancing between Loki and Steve. The poor, ignorant, stuck-up Steve. 

"Right," Stephen finally voiced, clearing his throat and opening his eyes. "Do we have any more to discuss or can Loki and I be on our way?"

Tony sighed, scratching his chin. "Yeah, you can go. At least we can tick Loki off the list now."

"What list?" Loki asked, frowning. 

"The list of possible traitors."

Loki blinked. "Fair enough." He glanced over at Thor. "I'll speak to you soon, brother. I have some, uh... business to sort out with Stephen today." He gave Stephen a seductive smile with a subtle lip-bite. 

Stephen inhaled sharply. "Alright. Bye, everyone."

A moment later, without waiting for a single reciprocal goodbye, they dropped through a portal into Stephen's bedroom. 

"You," Stephen growled, unclasping his cloak from his shoulders and gesturing for it to leave. "Are a little minx."

Loki pursed his lips. "Oh, really? I never noticed."

He phased his clothing back to Stephen's black sweatpants and shirt. He ambled up to Stephen and slid his hands up the sorcerer's chest. 

"Did you really mean it?" Stephen whispered, settling his fingers lightly onto Loki's hips. 

Loki looped his arms around Stephen's neck and kissed his cheek gently, holding Stephen's body close. 

"Of course I did. I don't want to just be your _boyfriend_ , Stephen." He ran his fingers through the short strands of Stephen's greying hair. "We're both much too old and wise for that."

Stephen smirked, humming in compliance. "Can I kiss you?"

"You know, in most romantic relationships, neither parties generally have to ask," Loki told him cockily.

Chuckling, Stephen pressed his lips to Loki's tenderly. He felt the god smile slightly. He enveloped Loki his arms and lifted him off the floor, twirling him in a circle. Loki broke the kiss to laugh, holding tight to the sides of Stephen's face. For the first time since they met, they saw each others' bright, elated smiles. 

Loki wrapped his legs and bare feet around Stephen's waist and kissed him again, his eyebrows furrowing with the sheer force and feeling of the gesture. Stephen walked forward to allow the bedroom wall to heed some of the god's weight. He pulled away, earning an exhale of protest from the man in his arms, before he licked his lips against Loki's neck, trailing kisses from his collarbone to his jaw. His teeth grazed his ear lobe and Loki pulled at Stephen's neck hairs. 

Stephen hit his hand to the wall, pushing Loki deeper against it. Drowning in fiery pleasure, Loki brushed Stephen's jaw and pulled his chin back up to meet his lips. 

The world stopped then, for a moment. Just the sparking threading of Loki's fingers through Stephen's hair, and the tender kisses snatched from Loki's lips existed in that moment. 

A quiet sanctuary that they didn't have to hide from anymore. 

"Can I stay here?" Loki suddenly asked.

"What?" Stephen mumbled, softly kissing the side of Loki's mouth with his eyes closed.

"Can I stay here at the Sanctum with you?"

Stephen stilled. "Like move in with me?"

"Yeah."

"You gotta ask?" Stephen smiled.

Loki chuckled, dropping to his feet and tucking his face into the crook of Stephen's neck. Stephen rested his cheek against his head, his eyelids fluttering shut.

"I'm cold," Loki murmured.

"No, you're not."

"Can I cuddle with you? I swear it, I'm cold!"

"Of course you can cuddle with me, but you aren't cold."

"Okay, fine, I'm not. I just love it when you spoon me. You're so warm!"

Stephen laughed and pushed him gently onto the bed. Loki pulled him over on top of him and kissed him fleetingly. Then he grinned.

"Dammit, now I don't need to coerce you into cuddling with me."

"No, darling, you don't."

"Can I anyway?"

"You can do whatever you like, Loki."

"Stephen?"

"Mhm?"

"Hold me," Loki whispered. "Hold me, and don't let go, okay?"

Stephen smiled softly. "I won't, sweetheart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must admit, I'm not the biggest fan of this last part. But it wraps up the work fine, so I won't be changing it very much.
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated :)


End file.
